a world of café stories

Scribble Garden Café, Johor Bahru

By KENNY MAH and CK LIM

Cafés are a dime a dozen these days, it seems. Every week seems to herald the opening of another artisanal café or slow coffee bar. The hype has made the coffee scene more happening (apparently) but it can be a chore keeping up with every debut.

Johor Bahru is not exempt from this trend but we haven’t really given it another thought. The new and fashionable cafés tend to be overcrowded, for one thing, and the service lacklustre. So it was a pleasant surprise when we stumbled upon something new to us (but not altogether new, being over a year old at this point) after lunch in the southernmost capital one day.

Scribble Garden Café is part boutique and part café, and all unassuming charm. There were only a couple of other tables occupied when we entered, which made it perfect for a post-lunch cuppa. Books fill the shelves; the pastel green walls lend some unexpected warmth.

We relax, sip our coffees, and give blessings for cafés that haven’t been invaded by the masses.